Even in Dreams
by AZ1087653
Summary: Within a dream a person can do anything they desire with no consequences. People can die, people can beat the odds, and people can enjoy intimacy. What makes a dream even better is when that one person you care about joins in so neither has to experience all the joy and pain alone. Rated M, but not too graphic. Mainly for shotacon type references.


Hello everyone who has dropped by to read this story. I wanted to put a warning out there that this is nothing like what I am used to writing for this fandom. I know how much people like to ship characters and after a comment from Sycocat2 about dreams from my series Forever at His Side, I ended up with an epiphany that turned into this story. So this little one-shot is dedicated to that writer.

The story takes place in the now, while they are separated from one another. It also borders on M/MA, which this site doesn't allow for MA. Keep in mind, it's not overly graphic, which is why it's on the M side of the line. It also would be considered **Shotacon**, since Ritsuka is not 13 yet (age of consent in many Japanese prefectures is 13, but most people don't agree or follow this rule, they tell their kids to wait).

Enjoy!

/GG/

Even in Dreams

Nights are definitely a time to wash away the feelings of the day, or anything that may have traveled over from a prior. Each night, once sleep enveloped the soul, dreams would occur that neither had any control over. Lucid dreaming wasn't something either had experienced in the past, thus the dreams were more likely the wishes and hopes they'd wanted for so long. Unfortunately both Soubi and Ritsuka were too stubborn to admit as such out loud. At least in the beginning.

_Dream One_

Ritsuka was walking along a corridor looking for something of which he knew not. All he knew was that he had to find the right path through the maze of hallways to reach his destination. If he didn't then he'd be stuck.

The cat-eared boy came to a fork in the road. Both ways were identical; they looked like a hallway one might see in a posh hotel. The red carpeting offset the pale blue walls with silver trim. There was a difference though and that was the feeling Ritsuka felt when he tried to head down the right side. A sense of dread overtook his senses and he had to immediately turn back. He made an attempt of the left side and it was fine; in fact he could hear the Halleluiah Chorus in his head when he stepped foot into the corridor.

But…even with the sense of peace, he knew that he had to take the hallway that caused him pain if he wanted to get to where he needed to go. Ritsuka took a deep breath and ran head first into the dark place, which started to change as he tried to get to the end of the hallway. No matter how fast he ran, the ending seemed to get further away. Hands stretched out from the walls, grabbing at him. He could feel something holding his tail and he turned around to see his brother, eyes glazed over with evil, pulling his cat-appendage and sneering.

Ritsuka could feel tears welling up in his eyes as he was pulled closer to his brother and into the darkness that lie behind the elder Aoyagi. He didn't want to go with the one who had lied to him and caused him pain. If he went with his family, he knew that it would be over and Ritsuka would no longer be a person, but a thing to be used as his brother desired.

"Soubi!" he shouted, wordlessly. No sound came out of his mouth, but he knew he had shouted. Of course he knew his fighter couldn't possibly be in this reality. The older man was with Seimei somewhere and he couldn't get to him, no matter how hard he tried.

Afraid and tired, Ritsuka used every ounce of strength he had to pull away from his brother and shoot further down the distorted hallway. It had to end at some time and that was what he aimed to find. Something was waiting for him at the finish.

/GG/

Soubi was chained to a wall, blood oozing from his nose and lips. He could taste the iron as it silently snaked a path of crimson down his chin and landed on the red carpets of the floor. Of course the carpet hadn't been red to begin with. He'd stained it with his bodily fluids; abrasions caused by Seimei for not doing what he'd been told. Soubi deserved every punishment he received; after all, he'd been a bad dog in his master's eyes.

The college student felt weak and could feel the chains on his wrists cutting into his flesh. There would be scars, especially since he couldn't keep himself on his feet. He'd stood there for too long; weeks, maybe months. Not even he was strong enough to stand erect for that length of time.

_Ritsuka! _

He called out to the boy in his mind. That little sacrifice of his, the light of his life, was the only person he wanted to see. Seimei could go to hell and rot there, but Ritsuka deserved to go to heaven with angel's wings on his back and a halo about his beautiful ears of innocence. If he ever got out of the current mess he'd be sure to paint a picture of Angel Ritsuka, even if the boy found the idea utterly embarrassing.

/GG/

One diminutive boy was rushing down hallways toward an unknown finish line. Ritsuka was starting to hear and feel the slosh of what felt like water under his feet. The carpets seemed to be turning into a river of some sort. This worried the kid since he didn't want to fall and get sucked down by the current.

So he kept running, as fast as he could. His heart was starting to beat erratically and for a moment he felt as if his body had become someone else's as he watched himself run. That feeling didn't last long as he saw he'd come to a dead-end. But he knew he had to keep running or Seimei would catch him. Ritsuka rejoined his body and flung himself at the obstacle that had popped up and crashed through the dry wall; landing in a heap on the floor.

He didn't look up immediately as his hand crashed into the soggy floor. When he lifted his fingers he saw that it wasn't water, but blood. His hand looked like he'd killed someone with it. Ritsuka's eyes went wide as he fell back on his butt and then jumped up since he saw he was covered in the filth.

That was when his eyes locked with the blond haired man's from across the room.

"Soubi!" he shouted, blood forgotten.

"Ritsuka?" Soubi was confused. How had his sacrifice found him in the dream realm?

Ritsuka ran to his fighter and did what he could to undo the chains that had the elder trapped. He saw the blood leaking from Soubi's face and reached up to wipe it away. All he ended up accomplishing was smearing the blood he had on his fingers over the man's cheeks.

"Where's the key?" Ritsuka implored.

"You're the key, Ritsuka," Soubi stated, calmly. "You've always been the key."

"I don't understand," Ritsuka answered, trying his best to free Soubi from his restraints. They wouldn't budge and he was starting to get frustrated. "Why isn't there a key?" He continued pulling with all his strength until every last bit of his energy was drained and he fell to Soubi's feet. "I can't do it!"

Soubi tried to lean down, but his hands kept him from lowering all the way to his sacrifice. "You did good, Ritsuka." He kissed the top of his sacrifice's head.

/GG/

That was the last the two saw of one another before both woke up, not remembering that they'd met one another in their dreams.

/GG/

_Dream Two_

The air was crisp and clean. Soubi could see the butterflies hovering about the flowers in the distance as he walked through the park. It was a beautiful day, to be sure, and he felt at almost complete peace. The sun shown down on him, kissing his skin like a lover, and it reminded him of how soft Ritsuka's lips felt when pressed to his own.

Ritsuka.

The one person that would have made Soubi feel at peace throughout his entire person. How he wanted to feel his little cat-eared friend's fingers entwined with his own. When they held hands he could sense the other's heartbeat, and just knowing the boy were alive was enough to make him feel as if all was right with the world. No one mattered more than Ritsuka.

/GG/

Ritsuka found himself sitting on a table in the park. He didn't quite know how he got there, but he didn't feel uncomfortable, so he allowed himself to sit and enjoy the sounds of nature. The birds were chirping a song he couldn't comprehend, and the cicadas were accompanying them in the undergrowth.

Before long he realized that the sun was starting to move across the sky rather quickly, which meant he needed to get home or his mother might go postal on his ass. The problem was in finding his way since he had no idea where he was.

Still, getting home was important, so he hopped off the table and started in any random direction.

/GG/

Soubi continued walking, he didn't know where, and then saw a figure in the distance. For a moment he was worried it was Seimei. He didn't want to see his sacrifice here. That individual would spoil the beauty of the area.

If only it were Ritsuka, then he could continue enjoying what was slowly turning into a nightmare.

The figure started walking toward him and he squinted his eyes against the glare of the setting sun. He had the same dark hair and cat ears that both his sacrifices possessed. In his mind he knew he should wish the person who had entered his dreams was actually Seimei, but he wanted it to be Ritsuka. Every breath he was taking had the boy's scent on his lips.

/GG/

Ritsuka stopped walking and spun in a circle to see where he was. Not only was he lost, but the amount of flowers was making him rather disoriented. On a second spin he noticed something out of the corner of his eye which made him stop and stare. It could only be Soubi, the way the long blond hair blew in the gentle breeze.

Wait, hadn't he been covered in blood just a short while ago? Ritsuka couldn't save him, but he was fine. The boy made a beeline toward the older male, a slight smile brushing his face. While it was as confusing as hell, he knew that once he reached Soubi then he'd be safe and find his way home.

/GG/

Without even thinking, Soubi opened his arms as the tiny boy all but flung himself onto his person. On the outside, his sacrifice would never so much as run to him like that and throw himself into Soubi's arms. That's what made the dream realm so much better than real life; anything could happen and it wouldn't affect the way things were when they were awake.

"Soubi, you're not hurt!"

Soubi smiled, gently as he patted the boy between the cat ears. "Of course not, Ritsuka. This is our dreams. Nothing in our dreams can hurt us, no matter how scary they are."

"Wait, does that mean we're dreaming the same thing?" The idea was new, but completely interesting to him.

"We must miss one another if we're meeting here."

/GG/

Again, they woke up. Both forgot the dreams again and went about their day not realizing how they were calling to one another from so far away.

/GG/

_Dream Three_

This time they didn't need to find one another. Instead they ended up in a Ferris Wheel that never stopped. Ritsuka sat with his back to Soubi's shoulder, looking at the outside world and wishing the dream would never end. His mother had attacked him with a knife, so he knew his living body was asleep, trying to heal the gash she'd made on his hand. In the dream world, the gash existed, but it didn't hurt.

"I'm sorry, Ritsuka. I have failed as a fighter," Soubi said, chastising himself. He reached over and took hold of Ritsuka's hand and started to kiss it softly. He placed kiss after kiss on the boy's wrist and pulled Ritsuka onto his lap.

"Soubi?" Ritsuka asked, eyes wide. Not with terror, but with complete acceptance as to what the other was doing.

"Nothing we do here will travel with us to the real world," Soubi said, kissing further up the lanky arm in his hand.

"But, I thought you said you wouldn't…" Ritsuka started, but never finished. Whatever dream Soubi wanted to do, he found himself okay with.

"I won't do anything you don't want, here or there," Soubi admonished. He'd not lower himself to one of those who took a child, no matter how much he cared for that child.

Ritsuka nodded and let Soubi continue kissing his arm. Eventually the kissing made its way to his shoulder. The feel of the elder's lips on his neck caused him to shiver slightly and wrap his arm around Soubi's back to keep himself from falling off his lap. What were these feelings? He didn't know, but he knew they didn't feel wrong.

/GG/

Waking up this time left the pair in confusion and a little bit of lust. The dream was forgotten, as it seemed to always be, but the remnants of the dream were still in their bodies; feelings awakened without a second thought. But neither was able to piece together where these feelings were coming from or where they would lead to in the end.

/GG/

_Dream Four_

Ritsuka found himself in another corridor. This time the carpet was a clean beige color and he could tell he was in a hotel since there were numbers on the doors and a waiter was standing down the way, delivering room service. He walked toward the door the waiter was standing in front of and watched the door open. It revealed a suite of sorts and he could make out the common area. There were sofas and a dinette set. Then he noticed Soubi sitting at the bar.

"Soubi?" The blond looked over at the voice and smiled. Ritsuka had made it into this dream as well. He began to wonder if these dreams would be considered lucid since the boy was there. Yet that didn't seem to be the definition of such a dream, so maybe this was some sort of mysticism.

"Ritsuka, I've been waiting." The comment made Ritsuka shiver slightly. It wasn't that Soubi said it in a way that bothered him, but it still caused tiny little bolts of electricity to jump about his neurons.

He walked into the hotel room and the waiter followed. The food was set down on the counter and Soubi produced some sort of payment for the feast. Ritsuka suddenly found himself ravenous and started to eat once the waiter had left the room. The older man just watched as the boy dug in and wondered if his mother was feeding him properly.

After the food was gone they walked to the exit. Dreams had to have had some rather awesome things to do. Ritsuka could imagine them going to Europe or the Americas. He actually found himself excited to step out of the room until Soubi opened the door and he saw that instead of the hallway he'd just come in from, he was at the threshold of the bedroom.

"Did you dream this up?" Ritsuka asked, not sure if he should be disgusted where they were standing.

"I don't know, Ritsuka," Soubi answered, truthfully. He was at a slight loss as to why they ended up at the bedroom, unless one of them wanted to go further than what had happened last time.

"Does that mean..?"

"If you want…"

Dreams were a little too strange. Both felt awkward as they stood in front of the bed, decorated as if it were going to be used on a honeymoon. Was the place something Ritsuka wanted, or Soubi…or an amalgam of what both of them wanted?

"I'm only twelve," Ritsuka stated, admitting his innocence in a completely child-like way.

"Maybe this is you wanting to grow up so you understand things better." It was a logical comment and Ritsuka couldn't deny that he wanted to grow up quickly so he could be of use somewhere.

Within seconds of admitting that to himself he found his clothes to be gone, replaced by nakedness. He looked over at Soubi, who still had his clothes on. Obviously if his own clothes had vanished, he wanted something, but the elder was much more reserved. Ritsuka reached over and grabbed Soubi's hand with his own and squeezed.

"What do you want, Ritsuka," Soubi asked.

"I don't know what it is," he answered truthfully, "but I know you need to show me."

"Is that an order?"

Ritsuka scowled, eyes glaring ahead, and embarrassment seen on his face. "No, something like this should never be about orders. I want…you…" He fell off, voice not wanting to work properly.

Soubi nodded in acceptance and led the youth to the bed. Once near enough he picked Ritsuka up and placed him, gently, on the covers. He lowered himself to the boy's side and started to caress up and down Ritsuka's stomach. The feeling of Soubi's fingers, gently rubbing him caused a tidal wave of sensations to shoot through Ritsuka's body. He found himself pushing into the touch as Soubi moved closer to his more erogenous zones.

The elder leaned in and placed a heated kiss onto Ritsuka's surprised lips. It was obviously the first time the boy had had such an erotic dream. He was honored to be part of it.

The fighter let his hand travel downward to the place that would eventually grow pubic hair. At present it lacked the fine hairs that would soon grow, but even without the signs of maturity, he could feel the boy's arousal. It was only a dream, so being with his sacrifice in such a way was allowed because dreams are the desired fantasies of life.

/GG/

When Ritsuka woke, he saw that he was hard and immediately a blush crossed his features. What had he been dreaming to cause him to stand at attention thus?

/GG/

_Dream Five_

It wasn't in a motel room this time, instead it was back in the park they'd met prior. And there was nothing leading up to them embracing one another. When both became aware, Ritsuka was cradled in Soubi's arms, sans clothes, and their mouths were attached to one another like it was necessary for life to continue.

The boy, who was too young to be in this situation in the waking world, was relishing the feelings brought on by such intimacy in the dream. Normally he'd have been thoroughly embarrassed, but what he was feeling was right, as long as it was with the man who was manipulating his flesh in ways he'd never felt before. In truth, he was scared and exhilarated at the same time.

Soubi almost pulled back when he realized what was happening. Dream or not, wasn't the boy too small for this sort of practice? He found he could not pull back though and Soubi wasn't sure if that was because Ritsuka was holding his hair or if some outside force was keeping his lips attached to the beautiful skin at his tongue tip.

Ritsuka felt Soubi's mouth and tongue delicately mapping out his body. Whenever his tongue got too close to Ritsuka's penis, Soubi would move back toward his stomach and chest. He was hesitant to go any further on one so young. Everything else was alright, except _that._

"Please."

The whimper was enough to ignite a passion within the college student he'd never felt before. His tiny sacrifice was begging him for release and he wasn't giving it to him. Soubi wasn't one to have many wet dreams, but he did remember that at times he'd wake up with wood and realize that it was because he'd not climaxed in the dream.

"Are you sure you're ready, my Ritsuka?" Soubi asked, huskily, mouth at the ready if the boy said yes, but far enough away if he said no.

Ritsuka didn't know what else to say. He felt something, but didn't know what he was supposed to be feeling. All he knew was that something had been missing and he knew Soubi knew what to do in that case.

"Please," he whispered.

The moment he felt the warmth he felt as if the world had exploded.

/GG/

Soubi woke up with a tightness I his pants, something he hadn't done in years. He didn't realize that across town, where he sacrifice had just woken up as well, the boy had climaxed for the first time during a dream. Seeing the liquid in his underwear hadn't scared the boy though, after all, he wasn't a child anymore.

/GG/

_Dream Six_

He was all alone this time, trapped at the bottom of a well and the water was rising. Ritsuka could feel the water pass his ankle as fear coursed through his veins. What had happened to the beautiful dreams he'd been having? Why wasn't Soubi there to protect him?

Of course they couldn't always meet in their dreams. It wasn't fair for an adult to have to put up with a child all the time, even if said adult was child-like in many ways. Still, a rope, or a ladder might have been nice if Soubi couldn't be there. The water moved up past his shins and was headed toward his knees.

"Soubi!" he called out, wondering if that would even work. Maybe this wasn't a dream where he'd get to meet up with his fighter, maybe it was just a normal dream and he was going to die.

/GG/

Far away and worried like crazy, Soubi was running through a forest. He was being chased by shadows of the past, attempting to cut him down. The man figured it was from his dream indiscretions. Ritsuka was way too young to be having relations like that, even in dreams.

Blond hair few behind the body as it ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Those shadows were relentless though and the darkness was becoming malignant as it attempted to swallow the man it chased. Soubi wouldn't, couldn't let it catch him though. He knew that his cat-eared companion was in the dream realm somewhere. They had been separated, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from finding where the boy was. All that word meant was they hadn't found one another yet.

He could feel his breath start to weaken as he flew through an opening in the trees and into a thicket. The sun wasn't shining and in fact it looked very much like a snow storm was in the process of brewing. What kind of fucked up dream was this? All he knew was he had to find Ritsuka. Ritsuka was the only thing that mattered…the only thing that ever would matter.

/GG/

The water was at his neck and Ritsuka found he couldn't swim. He was paralyzed at the bottom of the well with no way of moving. Soon he'd be submerged and his life would end in the dream world. Ritsuka wondered if he died in this realm, would he ever be able to return. The idea panicked him slightly as he'd found comfort in such a state. If he was to be separated from Soubi when he was awake, then at least they could come together in their dreams.

He took a deep breath as the water reached his chin. Just a few more centimeters and his nose would be covered. Ritsuka couldn't even duck under the water and make the end come faster; all he could do was sit there and think, which was the worst feeling in the world. If someone has the time to think while they are on the cusp of death, then that's a horrible way to go.

/GG/

Soubi dove into the well, headfirst and plummeted into the ice cold water below. Ritsuka had just closed his eyes as he reached for his sacrifice's face and placed his lips over the boy's. Ritsuka kissed back, allowing the oxygen in Soubi's system to enter his, saving him from dying for the moment.

Once Ritsuka's legs were mobile again, he jumped into the elder's arms and allowed his head to be brought above water. Eyes locked with one another, the floor gave way and the pair was sucked into the abyss holding onto one another for dear life.

/GG/

The idea of drowning caused both Soubi and Ritsuka to shoot up in bed, covered in sweat, and gasping for breath. If only they knew that it was done in unison, their bond becoming stronger and almost completely unbreakable.

/GG/

_Dream Seven_

They were on the Ferris Wheel again, only this time in separate cars. Soubi could see Ritsuka in his car, eyes wide with fear and when he turned around he could see why. Seimei was in the car with him; Nisei standing just off to the side and a few centimeters back. The fighter of the Beloved pair had an evil glint in his eyes while the sacrifice, the brother of the boy stuck in the car across from them, had a blank look. Soubi knew that the blank look meant nothing. Seimei was a master at disguising his true nature.

Ritsuka called out to his brother to leave Soubi alone, especially when he saw a chain link in the older Aoyagi's hands. Those horrible pieces of metal were meant for hurting the college student and he didn't want that, not in life or the dream realm. Unfortunately no words came out and he was subjugated to watching the blond be beaten.

Tears streamed down his face as the one he'd come to love crumbled after multiple attacks. How anyone could stand to inflict such pain on someone was something Ritsuka couldn't comprehend. All he knew was that he couldn't stand there and watch. He had to save Soubi, even if it meant his life was going to end.

The young man climbed from the immovable car and started to crawl across the structure. The Ferris Wheel wasn't turning, so he at least had that going for him. Slowly he made his way to the center of the wheel and stopped to catch his breath. As he took deep gulps of dream air he looked up to see that Soubi wasn't moving; Nisei was holding the other up by his hair and laughing manically.

His brother held out his hand, beckoning Ritsuka to come. He could hear his older brother speaking to him in his head. _Come to me, Ritsuka. I'll protect and save you. This piece of trash is not worth your time. Together with me, we will conquer this useless planet. _Ritsuka shook the voice out of his head and stared at the prone form of Soubi. He watched as the Beloved fighter wrapped the chain around Soubi's neck and threw the body over the side of the car.

Soubi's could feel his body dangling from the chain, but he felt no pain. He opened his eyes and saw Ritsuka, scrambling in his direction. The child looked lost and afraid as he moved toward the car. For Ritsuka to see him like this…how he hated himself more in that moment than any other moment in his life.

The air was starting to leave his lungs and he knew soon he'd wake up. This was to be the second dream in which he died, but hopefully Ritsuka would live and just wake up and forget. After all, it seemed that once they were awake, he didn't recall the dreams, so hopefully Ritsuka wouldn't either. All that mattered was Ritsuka. He was the most important.

Ritsuka was going to have none of it though. His brother had gone too far. He'd rather die than have anything to do with that monster again. So he stood up and looked at Soubi's dying eyes before him. He knew that by the time he hit the ground, both would be dead in this world and wake up in the land of the living. With one last breath he jumped off the chasse of the Ferris Wheel.

/GG/

No one woke with a start, but both woke with tears in their eyes and neither knew why.

/GG/

_Dream Eight _

Death wasn't to follow them in this dream. Neither was separation. Together the Loveless pair sat by a pond, under the shade of a tree. The sun was shining and there were ducks and swans swimming in the water. Ritsuka threw bread in for the fish and water fowl to snack on. He let his toes feel the pebbles on the bank of the pond and he could see Soubi's toes move as the fish came for a look-see.

"Why did we die?" he asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"Everyone dies in a dream at some point, Ritsuka," Soubi remarked.

"But why do we remember them…all of them?" Nowhere in all the books he'd read did it discuss recalling prior dreams while in a dream.

"I don't know, Ritsuka. This is as new to me as it is to you." He reached over and patted the boy on the head. After a few moments of peaceful silence, Soubi stood up and went to lie back next to the tree. The feel of the grass under his feet tickled his skin and he almost smiled…almost. Once positioned, he laced his fingers on his stomach and gazed up at the mosaic the leaves of the tree made against the sky.

Not wanting to be left alone after the prior two dreams, Ritsuka followed and soon was lying next to the elder which his head next to Soubi's shoulder. It didn't take long for Soubi to offer an arm as a pillow and the boy turned to his side and allowed the elder to pull him close.

"I like these dreams better," he muttered as he played with the buttons on Soubi's shirt, absentmindedly. Ritsuka didn't know when or why, but after a few seconds he started to unbutton the man's shirt.

"Ritsuka?" Soubi asked, pulling the boy's hand away and holding it in his own. So many emotions were conveyed in that one word.

"You were never naked like me…" The way it was said was so out of character; Soubi didn't know how to react. Then again, when had either of them been themselves when intimacy arose in the dream realm? The answer to that question would be…never.

"I don't know if you're ready, Ritsuka."

"This is a dream; we can do whatever the hell we like here, right?"

Yes, that was a true statement, but that didn't mean they _should_ be doing what they had done in the prior dreams.

The boy continued. "I like the feelings I'm learning about. I want to learn more." It's funny how that sounded like someone who wanted to learn music as much as someone who wanted to learn about the art of sensuality.

Soubi didn't know how to respond. Dream Ritsuka was more than enough to help him get it up, but he was at an impasse. Should he or shouldn't he, that was the question. It was clear his sacrifice was curious, but curiosity and being able to handle the emotional ramifications of sex were two different things. If he himself could go back and stop Ritsu from teaching him then he'd have done so in a heartbeat.

But these were dreams, and in dreams a person can do anything without consequences when they were awake.

His mind came back to the boy by his side when he realized that they were both naked. Ritsuka looked from his face down toward his organ and blushed. It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Soubi leaned in and kissed his sacrifice, bringing his eyes away from the third appendage that was slowly coming to life. Yes, it was definitely true that Dream Ritsuka was able to turn him on as much as he turned Dream Ritsuka on.

"In a dream, this won't hurt," he said faintly. "If we were to do this in the waking world, at your age and mine, it would probably hurt quite a bit, no matter what we did to prepare you."

"Really?" Ritsuka hadn't really studied up on male-male intercourse, though he did know the mechanics of heterosexual reproduction. He was obviously missing _something_, so that meant if they were to become one it would have to be done via the only orifice he had in that area.

"I love you, Ritsuka," Soubi whispered as he positioned himself for the plunge.

When they were awake, Ritsuka never would have made such a comment, but in the dream land, it was okay for him to admit his feelings. "I love you too, Soubi."

The elder of the pair pulled Ritsuka close, wrapped his leg around the small body pressed close to his, lowered his lips to Ritsuka's own, and gently sheathed himself, causing both sets of eyes to roll to the back of their heads. They hadn't even needed foreplay this time before both came.

/GG/

Ritsuka woke up with a start. He could feel the stickiness of another load on his underwear. Unconsciously he brought his hand to his head and felt for his ears. They were still there.

Soubi didn't end up so lucky. When he awoke, two sets of eyes were trained on him in disgust.

"Filthy dog, having dreams like that," Seimei spat, rolling his eyes and leaving the shamed fighter to clean himself off.

/GG/

_Dream Unknown_

Instead of waking after penetration or climax Ritsuka found himself making love and feeling the process. It wasn't scary, it wasn't disgusting; it was beautiful. The feel of his partner and the way they moved together this time left him breathless. Each time since the first the dream had ended with them waking up before the deed had been complete, or the after effects of lovemaking had been seen. Not this time. They continued feeling one another out until their dream selves were both too spent to continue on, at which point Ritsuka found himself lying, chest down, on Soubi, the man still inside of him.

"I don't feel any different than before," he mumbled quietly, finding it difficult to talk.

"What do you mean, Ritsuka?" Soubi had pushed his disgust at himself from his head. He just kept telling himself that it was only a dream.

"In this realm I'm an adult now, but I don't feel any different."

Soubi reached up and rubbed the tips of Ritsuka's cat ears. "You still have these, so maybe you won't feel any different until these are gone when you're awake."

"Did you feel any different?"

"Not really, but my loss wasn't nearly as pleasant. I'd grown up quite a bit earlier than I should have."

Ritsuka nodded. He wondered how his wake form would feel if he remembered what he'd been doing in his dreams. Obviously it was normal for a boy his age to dream, but these were not just such an illusion, something had brought two souls together into a world where there were no consequences, thus they'd ended up feeling each other out on multiple occasions. This happened between the dreams of finding one another and the dreams where they died together.

"Do you think what we're doing here is foreshadowing what's going to happen out there?"

The elder sat up, taking the boy who was still attached to his organ with him. Ritsuka wrapped his legs around Soubi's back and looked into the man's eyes, searching for any sort of confirmation.

"You mean, do you think we need to find one another, make love, and then die together?" Soubi inquired.

"Yes." The answer was so deadpan, Soubi was taken aback. He hoped it never came to that, but if it were the only way, then he'd do just that and let the two of them die with one another. Soubi could think of no better way for his life to end than with Ritsuka by his side.

"I hope not, Ritsuka." He looked away from the small boy's eyes and looked at the sun. "I just want to come home."

Ritsuka nodded and turned slightly to look at the sun with Soubi. "Where's home, Soubi?"

The answer to that question was the easiest to come by. "Home is wherever you are, Ritsuka."

Soubi leaned his head down and captured the tiny sacrifice's lips with his and initiated another round of making love. After all, it was only a dream. Within the dream realm, they could become one with not a care in either world.

/GG/

And after every dream, the Loveless pair would wake up, none the wiser as to why they were sticky down below, or scared, or any other emotion those dreams evoked. Even from far away though, the bond was growing stronger and each night said bond was strengthened by their connection to one another. Sometimes either one or the other could swear they could hear a voice whispering to them from some far off place.

Dreams are funny, since the bulk of them are forgotten within moments of waking up. Stranger still is the ability to do whatever a person wants with no consequences. Yes, even in dreams, two lost souls were able to form a bond that could never be broken. And even in dreams, they were forever by each other's side.

/GG/

Author's Note:

The mention of the well and being paralyzed comes from a book called Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Murakami Haruki. It's a great book, albeit a little odd. I'd recommend it for anyone who is a die-hard Japanese literature fan.


End file.
